Matches to Make After Strikeforce

Rousey submitted Sarah
Kaufman with a first-round armbar in the Strikeforce “Rousey
vs. Kaufman” main event on Saturday at the Valley View Casino
Center in San Diego. Kaufman tapped out 54 seconds into round one,
the latest victim in a growing list for the 2008 Olympic bronze
medalist. Rousey has submitted all six of her opponents with
armbars in the first round, five of them in less than a minute.

Some expected Kaufman to test her. She did not. Rousey bullied her
way into a quick clinch and grounded the Canadian with an exquisite
inside trip. The 25-year-old champion moved to mount, transitioned
to the armbar and, after a brief struggle, finished it. She now
sports 39-, 49-, 54- and a pair of 25-second submissions on her
resume.

Afterward, Rousey shifted her attention to Santos, the disgraced
former 145-pound champion whose suspension from a positive test for
performance-enhancing drugs expires in December.

“People want to see you in the first fair fight of your life,”
Rousey said. “I’m the champ now. The champ doesn’t go to you. You
come to the champ. Come down to 135 [pounds], and let’s settle
this.”

Rousey has done nothing to hide her disdain for Santos. In a
February interview with the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Savage Dog
Show,” she took no-holds-barred aim at the embattled Brazilian.

“I think she was a detriment to women’s MMA,” Rousey said. “I think
that no little girl is going to watch Cris Cyborg fight and want to
be like her one day. I don’t think that she’s a good example. I
think it was obvious all along that she was doping and I think it’s
a really bad message to send to kids that you need to dope to be a
champion. I think it’s better with her gone, and I think that when
she comes back ... I plan on fighting her when she comes back and I
plan on beating her when she comes back. I feel like that will be a
good example.

“The only positive role that I think Cris Cyborg can play for
women’s MMA is as a bad guy Ivan Drago character that’s going to
get beat by a Rocky,” she added. “She earned her sentence, and when
she’s done, she can come back and get her real punishment.”

Santos has not competed since she wiped out Hiroko
Yamanaka in 16 seconds eight months ago. The result was later
changed to a no contest by the California State Athletic Commission
after Cyborg tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol.
The 27-year-old Chute Boxe representative was subsequently stripped
of her 145-pound championship. Seeing as though Santos made her
name at 145 pounds, Rousey may have to meet her in the middle in
order for the bout to materialize.

In wake of Strikeforce “Rousey vs. Kaufman,” here are four other
matchups that need to be made:

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Jacare finished Brunson quickly.

Ronaldo
“Jacare” Souza vs. Luke
Rockhold: In terms of statements, former middleweight
champion Souza could not have made a stronger one. The decorated
grappler showed off his ever-improving standup against Derek
Brunson, as he knocked out the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts
export in 41 seconds. Long hours spent under the wing of trainer
Josuel Distak have proven fruitful for the five-time Brazilian
jiu-jitsu world champion. Souza will need all of his skills if he
plans to avenge his decision loss to Rockhold, the man who
dethroned him 11 months ago. Rockhold has successfully defended the
title twice since, stopping UFC veteran Keith
Jardine on strikes and outpointing Tim Kennedy.
The American Kickboxing Academy standout has rattled off nine
consecutive victories.

Sarah
Kaufman vs. Miesha
Tate: Kaufman could only give a figurative shrug of her
shoulders following her ill-fated encounter with Rousey. Submitted
in less than a minute, the opportunity for which she had waited for
nearly two years came and went in a blink.

Still, the loss to Rousey did little to diminish her standing
within the women’s 135-pound division, where she remains one of the
world’s best. Tate finds herself in a similar position, even after
her riveting submission victory over Julie
Kedzie. Kaufman outpointed Tate in their May 2009 matchup at
Strikeforce Challengers 1. Much has changed in the three years
since.

Tarec
Saffiedine vs. Jorge
Santiago-Quinn
Mulhern winner: Calm, steady and precise, Saffiedine was
almost clinical in earning a unanimous verdict over Roger
Bowling. The Belgian remains in the discussion regarding a
potential title fight against newly crowned welterweight champion
Nate
Marquardt, but his performance against Bowling lacked the kind
of pizzazz for which one hopes when the stakes are high. Perhaps a
bit more seasoning is in order. The winner of the Santiago-Mulhern
matchup at Strikeforce “Melendez vs. Healy” on Sept. 29 could
provide just such an opportunity.

Ovince St.
Preux vs. Gian
Villante: A physical specimen at 205 pounds, St. Preux
delivered a highlight-reel knockout against T.J. Smith. His left
hook sent an unconscious Smith crashing to the ground 20 seconds
into round three, the Floridian’s head bouncing violently off the
canvas. Still, the performance left plenty of room for improvement
for the former University of Tennessee linebacker. Villante, who
also played football at a high level in college, has quietly pieced
together a streak of three consecutive wins and remains one of the
few light heavyweights in Strikeforce who can challenge St. Preux
athletically.